Fireman Ed Quits: Iconic Jets Fan Hangs Up His Helmet

For years, Fireman Ed has been the most visible — and vocal — Jets fan, leading the entire stadium in chants of J-E-T-S Jets! Jets! Jets!

But now the famous fan is gone, and as Fireman Ed Quits he explains to fans exactly what led to his departure. In a column for Metro New York, Fireman Ed explains that it was confrontations with fans that led to his exit from his section, not the Jets disappointing 4-7 season.

As Fireman Ed (aka Ed Anzalone) writes:

“On Thanksgiving night, I left the Jets game before halftime. This was the second time in a row I left before there were four zeroes on the clock. We have had much worse teams than this and I never left before. I pride myself in that, because I am not a quitter.

“I decided to leave Thursday because the confrontations with other Jets fans have become more common, even though most Jets fans are fantastic.”

Fireman Ed says the disrespect among Jets fans could be the sign of something larger:

“This is an indication of how society has lost and is continuing to lose respect for one another. The stadium has become divided because of the quarterback controversy as well. The fact that I chose to wear a Mark Sanchez jersey this year and that fans think I am on the payroll — which is an outright lie — have made these confrontations more frequent. Whether it’s in the stands, the bathroom or the parking lot, these confrontations are happening on a consistent basis.”

Fireman Ed quits, but that doesn’t mean he’s giving up on the Jets or leaving their games. As NFL.com noted, the Jets superfan said he’ll still be at every game and he’s sure that someone else will take up the iconic cheer he’s been leading for years.